About Us
We Are Expert Tanners,
Generations Strong…
Wildlife Fur Dressing, Inc. is a family-owned business with a legacy spanning four generations. What began in 1955 with our founder’s father has grown into a lifelong passion for leatherwork and craftsmanship. In 1984, Armando Navas II brought this expertise to California, building on decades of experience and formal training in chemistry, physics, and histology. Today, our family continues this tradition, perfecting the art of fur dressing while maintaining the highest standards of quality and service. Every hide we process is handled with care and precision, from careful inspection and preparation, to fleshing, shaving, tanning, and finishing, with rigorous quality control at every stage. We combine old-world craftsmanship with modern techniques, ensuring that each skin is durable, flexible, and ready for display. At Wildlife Fur Dressing, our commitment extends beyond the work itself — our team manages every aspect of the business, including customer service, accounting, packing, shipping, and international clearance, to provide a seamless and professional experience for our clients. Over the decades, each generation has added knowledge and expertise, deepening our respect for the craft and the artisans we serve. Taxidermists across the country trust us not only for consistent results, but also for the personal attention and care we bring to every project. Choosing Wildlife Fur Dressing means becoming part of a family tradition built on passion, precision, and pride in every hide.
Quality Received. Quality Returned.
Our Facility
Located in California, our shop has the capacity to tan your hides no matter the quantity. Wildlife Fur Dressing has state of the art equipment, but we also have hand built many of the drums and tools that are used to provide you with the best quality.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to have incisions made?
We can make short incisions and dorsal cuts on skins, but there will be an additional charge depending on the type of animal skin and the incision being made.
- Short Incision on North American, Texan, and exotic skins (except for Blacktail, Coues, Mule, and Whitetail Deer Cape): 15% additional charge
- Short Incision/Cased on African skins and heavy capes (such as an Axis, Oryx, etc.): 35% additional charge
- Dorsal Cut on North American / Exotic skins: 20% additional charge
- Dorsal Cut on African life-size skins: 40% additional charge
All skins with the hide and head attached will be charged the price of life size minus the price of the feet.
What are your handling fees?
We charge a $150.00 handling fee on all incoming international shipments from customs and also charge extra fees for any of the following that apply to your order:
- $75.00 treatment fee for any swine and primate dipping/treatment on skulls.
- $30.00 disposal fee for each wood crate.
- $45.00 processing fee for outbound freight shipments.
- Re-packing fee (will be charged shop time, which is $80.00/hour).
- $5.00/day storage fee (starts 15 days after the Invoice for Dry Tan or after 7 days for the Invoice for Wet Tan).
- Additional shop time charged ($80.00/hour) for skins that arrive improperly treated, such as being damp, poorly salted, greasy, etc.
- Extra charge for quarantine services on shipments with live bugs.
If you choose our rush service, there is a 75% additional fee for Wet Tan and a 100% additional fee for Dry Tan
What should I be aware of in regards to your services?
In addition to our handling fees listed above, there are extra charges for the following:
- Additional shop time charge is added for removing excess flesh, drying damp hides, splitting lips and nostrils, removing tailbones, removing knuckles, and/or turning ears and removing shield on boars.
- Any rejected hides may be subject to partial processing fees based on our discretion.
- Capes with shoulders longer than normal have an extra charge: Deer $6.50/SF, Elk and Moose $9.50/SF, and Bison $17.00/SF on each side of the shoulder.
- Wet Tan conversion into a Dry Tan – additional 50% charge.
- Re-tan service for any skins tanned previously at another facility is subject to a 100% charge of our listed tanning cost. (We do not guarantee the result on this process).
- Sheep (domestic/merino) that arrive: short incision will be required to split it open.
- Bison/Buffalo that require extra attention for bloody, matted hair or is too thick will be charged shop time.
What are your damages, liability and insurance policies?
By remitting skins to Wildlife Fur Dressing, Inc. you agree to our policy that all tanning is accepted at the owner’s risk. During the preperation of the hides, there are many circumstances that are out of our control. We do our best to keep the integrity of the hide, however, for that reason we assume no liability, not guarantee the results.